In 2011 Russia’s busiest airport was the site for a suicide bombing killing 37 and injuring 173. The suicide bomber and associated terrorists were believed to have been Islamist militants from North Caucasus and part of the North Caucasus Insurgency.
In 1972 a Japanese Sergeant, Shōichi Yokoi was found in the jungle in Guam completely unaware that World War II had ended 27 years ago. After the Island of Guam was regained control of the Island from Japanese forces 28 years ago, sergeant Yokoi went into hiding along with ten other soldiers. Over time seven of the soldiers left the area and of the three remaining two died in 1963 due to severe flooding. For eight years Yokoi survived alone in an Underground cave. Two more Japanese soldiers were discovered in 1974 that were also in hiding, un-aware of the end of World War II
In 1965 Sir Winston Churchill died at the age of 90. His impressive leadership skills as Prime Minister led to victory in World War II. He returned to leadership of the UK as Prime Minister in 1951 (at the age of 77 but was forced to step down due to ill health in 1955. He suffered a stroke on the 9th of January 1965 and never recovered, eventually dying 15 days later.
In 1939 an earthquake measuring 8.3 on the Richter scale kills 50,000 people and injures 60,000 in Chillan, Chile. Chile lies on an underground fault and usually has warning before very large quakes. The warning signs are smaller quakes which grow weeks before the larger quake hits but this time there were no warning quakes.
In 1935 canned beer went on sale for the first time. The American beer company originally attempted it in 1909 unsuccessfully and the introduction of prohibition in the United States from 1920-1933 prevented further attempts. But with the abolishment of prohibition in 1933 they resumed their research finally cracking it.
In 1908 Robert Baden-Powell’s book ‘Scouting for Boy’s’ was published which increased the popularity of Scouts. Baden-Powell was a very accomplished soldier who managed to defend Mafeking, South Africa which was under siege during the Second Boer War. Mafeking was defended for 217 days until the siege was lifted and this was a huge victory for the British during the War. This made Robert Baden-Powell a national hero in Britain and he went on to write a military field manual for British soldiers, with information on tracking and survival. His book ‘Aids to Scouting’ became such a success with younger readers that he decided to write a book aimed specifically for them, and ‘Scouting for Boys’ was his creation.
In 1788 the first wave of ships carrying convicts from England to Australia landed in Botany Bay, which would later become a bay in Sydney, New South Wales. Botany Bay was also the site for the landing of James Cook, the first European discoverer of Australia and this made it the desired site for the penal colony. Britain had been using parts of North America (such as Georgia) as penal colonies, but after the American Revolution ended in 1783, Britain looked elsewhere and on this day in 1788 Australia became the new site.
